Monday, November 15, 2010

Flower Power: GBBD November 2010

May Dream Gardens sponsors Garden Blogger's Bloom Day on the fifteenth of every month. Have seen a definite drop in the garden's flower production as the cooler weather has finally broken summer's grip. But there are still a few plants giving it their best.

Established Plants

Of all the Soap Aloes (Aloe maculata), only the one in the backyard still has its lone stalk topped by a colorful cluster of flowers.

A single bloom is all that remains on any of the Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala) plants - it appears that any more of its hot pink blossoms will have to wait until next spring.

The Philippine Violets (Barleria cristata) have had a fair number of blooms, but they too have mostly faded, leaving only a handful of blooms still open.

New Plants in the Garden

One of my Ground Orchids (Spathoglottis plicata) started blooming back in September, and the blooms are still hanging in there. And another that I have potted has recently started sending up a bloom stalk - not sure how it'll do when I transition it out of the coming cold.

Tall and lanky, theForsythia Sage (Salvia madrensis) has clusters of yellow blossoms at the end of its stalks, adding splashes of bright color above the other vegetation.

A single bloom adorns my Marilyn's Choice Abutilon, its bi-colored lantern-like flower hanging down from one of the lower branches.

Annuals

The recently added Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) has such vibrant colors and delicate petals that it catches the eye.

Tardies

Soon to be brought inside, my Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) is on the verge of opening its colorful red and pink blooms.

Flower Wannabes

The berries of the Nandina (Nandina domestica) are starting their transition from green, through shades of orange, to their eventual vibrant red.

It always surprises me when I discover the dull red berries on my Dwarf Chinese Holly (Ilex cornuta 'Rotunda') as it does not produce berries all that often.

But the garden's Possumhaw (Ilex decidua) always put on a fall/winter show with large quantities of bright red berries adorning the trees. And they'll show even more once the trees start dropping their leaves.

Ronnie, great pics! You have to tell me why my ground orchid have no buds and have never bloomed. I planted them last spring. They are in all day dappled shade, is that too much shade? Yours are gorgeous.

gardenwalk: Thanks - I liked that shot too (not to mention all the other red berries).

Zoe: The Cyclamen really do have nice, intense coloration.

Washington: I needed some way to bring in the colorful non-blooming, non-foliar aspects - wannabes seemed appropriate.

Denise: Well, I do have color in tiny nibbles (that's why I mainly take macro shots!); I envy the large swaths of color I see in the sunny gardens.

scott: My first year with Cyclamen - will have to see how they do this winter (I have doubts).

bacon: In winter, I have always enjoyed the bright red of the Nandina berries.

getgrounded: I planted four for the first time this year - all in brighter, dappled shade (one in a pot). One got excavated by a critter, one just sat there, one bloomed (pictured) and the potted one is just now growing a bloom stalk. Sounds like your light should be sufficient.

Amy: I've always enjoyed the way the Aloe bloom glows when the sunlight hits it from behind. The Abutilon is a dappled shade/morning sun plant; this is my first year to try this plant.

kris: Thanks - the orchid's blooms are quite small (slightly larger than a quarter), so they are best appreciated up close.

I can't believe your Christmas cactus is blooming already. Mine has not a flower in sight but then everything is weird over here this year. I'm so jealous of your Salvia madrensis. It's one of my big wants. Belated Happy bloom day.

Very fun post. Sometimes I think those of us who don't get much frost should just pretend everything is covered with flowers - why admit that everything has just one blossom or too? But then I repent and, like you, tell the truth.